Greville Fane.docx
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- 上传时间:2022-10-29
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Greville Fane.docx
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GrevilleFane
GrevilleFanebyHenryJamesComingintodressfordinner,Ifoundatelegram:
"Mrs.Stormerdying;canyougiveushalfacolumnforto-morrowevening?
Letheroffeasy,butnottooeasy."Iwaslate;Iwasinahurry;Ihadverylittletimetothink,butataventureIdispatchedareply:
"WilldowhatIcan."ItwasnottillIhaddressedandwasrollingawaytodinnerthat,inthehansom,Ibethoughtmyselfofthedifficultyoftheconditionattached.Thedifficultywasnotofcourseinlettingheroffeasybutinqualifyingthatindulgence."Isimplywon'tqualifyit,"Isaidtomyself.Ididn'tadmireher,butIlikedher,andIhadknownhersolongthatIalmostfeltheartlessinsittingdownatsuchanhourtoafeastofindifference.Imusthaveseemedabstracted,fortheearlyyearsofmyacquaintancewithhercamebacktome.IspokeofhertotheladyIhadtakendown,huttheladyIhadtakendownhadneverheardofGrevilleFane.Itriedmyotherneighbour,whopronouncedherbooks"toovile."Ihadneverthoughtthemverygood,butIshouldletheroffeasierthanthat.
Icameawayearly,fortheexpresspurposeofdrivingtoaskabouther.Thejourneytooktime,forshelivedinthenorth-westdistrict,intheneighbourhoodofPrimroseHill.MyapprehensionthatIshouldbetoolatewasjustifiedinafullersensethanIhadattachedtoit--Ihadonlyfearedthatthehousewouldbeshutup.
Therewerelightsinthewindows,andthetemperatetinkleofmybellbroughtaservantimmediatelytothedoor,butpoorMrs.Stormerhadpassedintoastateinwhichtheresonanceofnoearthlyknockerwastobefeared.Alady,inthehall,hoveringbehindtheservant,cameforwardwhensheheardmyvoice.IrecognisedLadyLuard,butshehadmistakenmeforthedoctor.
"Excusemyappearingatsuchanhour,"Isaid;"itwasthefirstpossiblemomentafterIheard.""It'sallover,"LadyLuardreplied."Dearestmamma!
"Shestoodthereunderthelampwithhereyesonme;shewasverytall,verystiff,verycold,andalwayslookedasifthesethings,andsomeothersbeside,inherdress,hermannerandevenhername,wereanimplicationthatshewasveryadmirable.Ihadneverbeenabletofollowtheargument,butthatisadetail.IexpressedbrieflyandfranklywhatIfelt,whilethelittlemottledmaidservantflattenedherselfagainstthewallofthenarrowpassageandtriedtolookdetachedwithoutlookingindifferent.Itwasnotamomenttomakeavisit,andIwasonthepointofretreatingwhenLadyLuardarrestedmewithaqueer,casual,drawling"Wouldyou--a--wouldyou,perhaps,beWRITINGsomething?
"Ifeltfortheinstantlikeaninterviewer,whichIwasnot.ButIpleadedguiltytothisintention,onwhichsherejoined:
"I'msoveryglad--butIthinkmybrotherwouldliketoseeyou."Idetestedherbrother,butitwasn'tanoccasiontoactthisout;soIsufferedmyselftobeinducted,tomysurprise,intoasmallbackroomwhichIimmediatelyrecognisedasthescene,duringthelateryears,ofMrs.Stormer'simperturbableindustry.Hertablewasthere,thebatteredandblottedaccessorytoinnumerableliterarylapses,withitscontractedspaceforthearms(shewroteonlyfromtheelbowdown)andtheconfusionofscrappy,scribbledsheetswhichhadalreadybecomeliteraryremains.Leolinwasalsothere,smokingacigarettebeforethefireandlookingimpudenteveninhisgrief,sincereasitwellmighthavebeen.
Tomeethim,togreethim,Ihadtomakeasharpeffort;fortheairthatheworetomeashestoodbeforemewasquitethatofhismother'smurderer.Shelaysilentforeverupstairs--asdeadasanunsuccessfulbook,andhisswaggeringerectnesswasakindofsymbolofhishavingkilledher.Iwonderedifhehadalready,withhissister,beencalculatingwhattheycouldgetforthepoorpapersonthetable;butIhadnotlongtowaittolearn,forinreplytothescantywordsofsympathyIaddressedhimhepuffedout:
"It'smiserable,miserable,yes;butshehasleftthreebookscomplete."Hiswordshadtheoddesteffect;theyconvertedthecrampedlittleroomintoaseatoftradeandmadethe"book"wonderfullyfeasible.
Hewouldcertainlygetallthatcouldbegotforthethree.LadyLuardexplainedtomethatherhusbandhadbeenwiththembuthadhadtogodowntotheHouse.ToherbrothersheexplainedthatIwasgoingtowritesomething,andtomeagainshemadeitclearthatshehopedIwould"domammajustice."Sheaddedthatshedidn'tthinkthishadeverbeendone.Shesaidtoherbrother:
"Don'tyouthinktherearesomethingsheoughtthoroughlytounderstand?
"andonhisinstantlyexclaiming"Oh,thoroughly--thoroughly!
"shewenton,ratherausterely:
"Imeanaboutmamma'sbirth.""Yes,andherconnections,"Leolinadded.
Iprofessedeverywillingness,andforfiveminutesIlistened,butitwouldbetoomuchtosaythatIunderstood.Idon'tevennow,
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